Pull
by Kalira69
Summary: After Barnaby is swallowed up in a collapsing building, the bond between him and his soulmate guides them back to each other and to their normal. (Soulmate AU)


Written for day 7 of my Valentine's soulmate AU project!

* * *

"Okay, not through there." Sky High coughed, waving a hand in front of his face, then gesturing more sharply, sending a gust of air flowing away from him.

Barnaby patted Sky High helpfully on the back as the cloud of dust settled around them again, slowly, and a pull built in his chest with a flaring pulse. "Here, this way." he said, gesturing and then moving ahead himself. Carefully. He covered his nose and mouth with one hand, trying to block out the worst of the grit in the air and wishing he was in his suit.

"Ugh." Barnaby shoved at a heavy piece of the building's facing that hadn't broken apart as it fell. It barely budged, and he still had most of an hour before he could activate his power again.

They got past it without dumping any more rubble on themselves, only to run into another, much less stable one barely three metres further. Barnaby jerked back as his first push nearly sent a thick sheet of metal sliding down on his head, and Sky High jumped in, catching the opposite edge and hauling it upwards along with him.

Barnaby let out a slow breath, stepping carefully around and looking for another route.

"I'm sorry," Sky High said, and Barnaby paused, looking around at him, "I could get us out more easily," he gestured, "but if I did. . ."

Barnaby looked at the rubble. "More damage?"

"And I might hurt people." Sky High winced, and Barnaby nodded understanding.

A twinge in his chest that made him flinch and the pull inside began to shift directions. Barnaby took a breath, pressing one hand to his breastbone, then followed it as he had before - in a circuitous route, with Sky High helping him pick a deliberately careful path through the rubble.

Eventually the pull lead Barnaby right out into open space - they were still picking their way over rubble, but it was no longer _everywhere_ overhead and threatening to topple down on them. And there were cameras everywhere instead - more of them than emergency responders, Barnaby noted with a snort.

They headed towards the bright splash of colour that was the Hero TV van and base of operations, but Kotetsu came sliding down to meet them before they got very far, a controlled mess of graceful bounds and flaily near-trips. Barnaby stopped on a relatively flat piece of mostly-intact street to wait, when he got closer.

"Bunny! Sky High!" Kotetsu cried, throwing his arms out wide and then skidding a little as he stopped himself short. He glanced Barnaby over quickly, glanced over his shoulder at Sky High, then met Barnaby's eyes.

The steady pull in Barnaby's chest had increased so much it was slightly uncomfortable and it was beginning to flare unevenly, turbulent feelings spilling around the edges. Barnaby stepped forwards, catching one of Kotetsu's outstretched hands. "Tiger, calm down." he said firmly.

Kotetsu did, a little, matching Barnaby's step forward, almost walking right into him. He brought one hand up to Barnaby's cheek, pushing his hair back a little and drawing Barnaby's attention to how _much_ dirt and grit was on his face. He made a face and Kotetsu squeezed his hand tightly.

"Thank you." Barnaby squeezed back. "You guided me - us - out." he said quietly.

Kotetsu smiled, only a little less bright than his usual smiles. "Good. You're welcome." he added, with a huff that wasn't quite a laugh. "I'm glad. I wish I could have come to help you."

Barnaby nodded understanding but rubbed his thumb over the back of Kotetsu's hand. "We did fine."

"You're all right?" Kotetsu asked, hands sliding over Barnaby's arms and down to his waist, clinging. His eyes darted over Barnaby, examining.

"I'm fine." Barnaby soothed absently as he opened a little more to their bond, letting Kotetsu feel him even more. "You could feel I was fine." he added, frowning, because even without his consciously pushing awareness into the bond it was ever-present between them.

Kotetsu nodded, his hands roaming Barnaby's sides and chest. He didn't _look_ terribly unsettled, despite the jerky, too-quick movements, but their bond was jangling with distress. "I know. I could, and I-" he swallowed. "I knew you were all right, but seeing you fall in that collapse. . ." His eyes strayed towards the wreckage that was all that was left of the building. "Losing sight of you in the quake, with the collapsing buildings, and knowing. . ."

Barnaby winced, and Kotetsu's eyes, slightly too wide, darted up to his, then away, looking him over as though he might have suddenly developed an injury. Kotetsu's fingers trembled on Barnaby's shoulders for a moment before steadying, then shifting to run down his arms again, restlessly sliding right back up.

"Tiger." Barnaby said gently, then dropped his voice even more. "Kotetsu." He touched Kotetsu's face, and he lifted his gaze, hands sliding down Barnaby's chest.

"Barnaby." Kotetsu smiled at him, small and still not quite right.

Barnaby pulled him close, the movement pressed his hands between their chests and stilled them, and kissed him firmly, cupping his cheek with one hand. Kotetsu's breath caught. Barnaby nudged their noses together, tugging gently at their bond.

"I'm here." Barnaby said, giving Kotetsu another soft kiss. "Nothing happened, in the end." Quake aside, collapsed buildings aside, caused by NEXT powers or no, Barnaby and Kotetsu were both still here and relatively unharmed.

Kotetsu made a tiny breathy sound and closed his eyes, resting his brow against Barnaby's. He nodded, then tipped his head to kiss Barnaby again, fleeting and soft but needy, and Barnaby stroked his cheek and concentrated on pouring his emotions - calm, at least compared to Kotetsu, and steady - into their bond at the same time.

* * *

Barnaby stepped out of the shower, groaning at the pull of bruises that had plenty of time to stiffen before he and Kotetsu had finally managed to leave the disaster site for home. The heat of the shower had helped - a little - with the dull aches of strained and abused muscles, but the bruises not so much.

At least he was finally clean again, he thought as he wrung out his hair.

Barnaby suddenly realised his breathing had become uncomfortably rapid and his heart felt painfully tight in his chest. He frowned, pulling the towel off his hair and wrapping it around his waist as he opened the bathroom door.

"Kotetsu?" Barnaby called, wincing as the pull in his chest throbbed just at the edge of pain. Then he rounded the corner into the main part of the bedroom and saw Kotetsu's spiky hair just peeking up from the other side of the bed. "Honey- Why are you sitting in the floor?" he asked even as he hurried across the room, not really expecting an answer.

Kotetsu looked up at him, eyes faintly glassy, and _here_ was the source of the too-quick breathing and the pain in his chest, Barnaby thought, biting his lip. Kotetsu was shaking slightly, curled in on himself, and Barnaby must have been picking it up through their bond without thinking - without even realising.

"Hey honey. . ." Barnaby said, voice soft, and settled on the floor himself, ignoring the protests from his battered body at the movement. He reached out, sliding his hands over Kotetsu's arms. He focused, feathering _reassurance_ and _affection_ and _presence_ against the tight knot of their bond in his chest. "I'm safe." he promised, remembering the core of the distress that had driven Kotetsu into such a state earlier.

Kotetsu nodded, swallowing thickly, his throat making an audible clicking sound as he nearly choked. "I- I know." he managed, and Barnaby shushed him soothingly, rubbing up and down his arms. "I-"

Barnaby renewed the soft pulse of steady, calm emotion and poured it into their bond as it rippled and tensed once more with Kotetsu's distress.

Kotetsu leaned towards Barnaby and grabbed hold of his arms just above the elbows. "I can't lose you." he said, his voice wrecked.

"Oh. . ." Barnaby's heart wrenched. "I-" His voice faltered and he didn't know what to say, how to-

He poured his attention into the connection offered by their bond, along with _love_ and _comfort_ and _safe safe safe_ and when Kotetsu's grip loosened he leaned forwards, wrapping his arms around his soulmate in lieu of having words to offer him. Kotetsu clung to him, breaths coming a little more steadily as he pressed against Barnaby's shoulder.

"I'm sorry." Kotetsu breathed out, voice shaky. "I'm sorry, Bunny, I just- I can't lose you and today I-"

"Shhh. . ." Barnaby petted Kotetsu's back and then tightened his hold. "I- I know, honey." he said, rubbing his cheek against Kotetsu's hair and biting his lip. "I'm sorry. I'm here with you." he murmured, a promise and an apology.

Kotetsu leaned more heavily against Barnaby, but his grip loosened a little, gentle strokes feeling out the shape of Barnaby's ribs, his side, his hip - he realised belatedly his towel had fallen askew - as Kotetsu nosed against his throat.

"I'm sorry, Barnaby." Kotetsu said again after a short time, and Barnaby felt a sharp pang of concern.

"Kotetsu-"

Kotetsu sighed, breath warm against Barnaby's throat, and then kissed him there. The feel of him in their bond was slowly calming once more, Barnaby realised, to his relief. "I worried you," he said as he pulled back a little, lips showing a bare hint of a curve, "and I know how hard it is for you to deal with-"

"Oh, shut up, old man." Barnaby said with a smile he couldn't suppress. He nuzzled Kotetsu gently, rubbing their noses together. "I love you." he said quietly, and Kotetsu kissed him, their bond flaring with warmth beneath the contact.

"And I love you." Kotetsu returned, stroking his face. "So very much. My cute Bunny-chan." he added playfully.

Barnaby huffed, but the smile didn't fade. "So can we get out of the floor now?" he asked, raising his eyebrows.

"Who's acting the old man now?" Kotetsu asked, but nodded, loosening his hold on Barnaby a little more, allowing him to move back enough to rise.

Not quite enough to lose hold of him entirely, though. Which didn't make it any easier for Barnaby to keep hold of his towel as he got to his feet. He shivered - his skin was still damp, and he was chilled - even as he gave up and let it fall, and Kotetsu caught it with his free hand. He didn't give it back, and Barnaby stared him down for a moment, then huffed and turned as though to stalk away.

Kotetsu darted after him immediately, following him back into the bathroom, and Barnaby coaxed him into cleaning up in the shower. Barnaby finally dried himself properly and then . . . lingered over drying his hair, keeping close until Kotetsu was finished and wrapped up in his own towel.

Kotetsu was still dripping when he wrapped his arms around Barnaby again and settled his chin on Barnaby's shoulder. Barnaby sighed, leaning back into his embrace. He was _tired_ , but he supposed the weariness tugging at his bones was hardly more than could be expected, after the day they'd had.

"We should probably check in again." Barnaby said slowly, nudging closer against Kotetsu's cheek before drawing himself up a little. "Make sure we're not needed . . . that everything is under control."

"I know. But can we- Later?" Kotetsu asked, a little disjointed, arms tightening around his waist. "It's been a long day, and they were already well into clearing things up when we left. They'll call if they really need us." he added reasonably.

Barnaby softened again, agreeing and letting Kotetsu draw him back into the bedroom and promptly down into their bed. He curled up against Kotetsu, their legs tangling familiarly, and brought one hand up to rest over Kotetsu's steady heartbeat.

Kotetsu hummed quietly, one hand sliding up and down Barnaby's back under the blankets. Their bond was almost quiescent between them, a soft, warm thrum of contact and affection that settled naturally into the feeling of being twined together physically.

"I'm sorry I worried you today." Barnaby finally said, offering it quietly in the private space between them here. His fingertips traced over the angle of Kotetsu's hipbone and his eyes stayed around the level of Kotetsu's jaw.

"I am sorry I was not at your side." Kotetsu replied, his own voice even lower and a little rough. Barnaby would have assured him it was all right that he hadn't been, but Barnaby knew the wish was not . . . solely for his sake. He tipped his head up again and kissed Kotetsu rather than answer, opening himself more fully to their bond without particularly directing how his emotions flowed through it.

Kotetsu smiled against his mouth, kneading the back of his neck with one hand. He felt calm and easy, steady once more. As much as Kotetsu ever was, which was a surprising amount under the obvious flailing he was prone to.

Barnaby laughed, eyes closing as he tucked his head down against Kotetsu's shoulder.

Kotetsu didn't ask, just echoed his laughter and wrapped him up a tighter hug. Barnaby kissed his shoulder and returned the snug embrace, feeling like a knot of anxious tension he had been holding onto all day was unspooling inside him.


End file.
